All Around Your Island
by shiva
Summary: An interesting journey down the road of forgiveness. When Toby is kidnapped, Sarah will need the help of both the man who killed her parents and the man who kidnapped Toby the first time.
1. All Around Your Island

All Around Your Island

Disclaimer: None of this is mine, with the exception of a few minor characters. Don't be deceived.

A.N. And now we come to my third story. They say third time's a charm; let's hope "they" are right. This is just a little trip into the idea of forgiveness and the many forms mercy may take. I hope you enjoy it and that you'll leave some feedback if you do.

Sarah walked her little brother into his new classroom. It was Toby's first day of school – first grade. It occurred to her for at least the tenth time that morning how lucky he was, how lucky they both were, that he had made it this far. Twice now her carelessness had almost cost him a future. She gave him a hug and sent him off to pick a desk next to David, his best friend since preschool. 

"Ms. Williams," his teacher called, "may I speak with you for a minute?"

Sarah smiled at Mrs. Griffin, the tall first grade teacher who had still been a natural brunette when she taught Sarah's class. Thirteen years of teaching first-graders had trailed gray hairs from her temples through the bouffant hairstyle she was still sporting from '84. 

"Please call me Sarah, Mrs. Griffin. You only called me Ms. Williams when I was in trouble. It makes me nervous."

"Alright, Sarah," she said, emphasizing the first name with a laugh, "I just had a few questions regarding Toby. I understand you're in school most of the week, and I wanted to know who Toby's allowed to go home with."

"Oh, thank you. You know I left specific instructions with the front office when I did all of his paperwork."

"Yes, I'm afraid communication is not what it used to be here." Mrs. Griffin said, rolling her eyes.

"Well, I have classes Monday through Thursday, so on those days Toby goes home with David and I'll pick him up on Fridays. He is not to go off with ANYONE else, no exceptions, and I've already discussed this with him. Don't let him try and tell you he can go home with one of his other friends." Sarah smiled, but it was a little forced around the edges. She had always been paranoid when strangers were around her little brother, and that had only increased since she had been made his guardian. 

Mrs. Griffin touched her arm and asked, "What about you, Sarah? How are you doing?"

"I won't say it's been easy. Sometimes I think Toby still expects them to come home one day. But we're holding up."

"You know, I think Toby's incredibly fortunate to have you as a sister. Not everyone could handle the responsibility you've taken on."

Sarah bowed her head, mumbled a thank-you and rushed out the door. Mrs. Griffin watched her leave, slightly confused by Sarah's reaction, but shrugged it off. _Probably too soon to talk about it_ she thought to herself. 


	2. All the Pictures Have Faded Into Black

Sarah kicked herself all the way to school. She hadn't meant to run out on Mrs. Griffin like that; after all, it had been over six months. Everyone she knew had been incredibly supportive, but in the sort of pitying way that annoyed Sarah. She had gone to see a family counselor with Toby after the accident because she hadn't been sure she could explain what had happened in a way he would understand and not blame himself for. After that, she had avoided talking about it.

Her father and stepmother had just picked Toby up from the babysitters and were on the way home when a drunk driver smashed into them at an intersection. Toby had suffered a minor concussion, but both parents had been crushed in the accident. Sarah had returned from a date to find her next door neighbor and two police officers waiting on her front lawn. 

She couldn't remember much from the week following the accident. Toby had stayed in the hospital overnight and she had spent the night holding his hand. They had no other family; Toby was all Sarah had left. 

Everything was summed up fairly quickly. Her parents were buried two days later and their will left no loopholes. Sarah was made Toby's legal guardian and everything was left to them. Both her father and stepmother had life insurance policies, so she inherited a quick $100,000 that would support the two of them for quite some time. 

She had debated long and hard about selling the house. The mortgage was paid off and it was hers free and clear, but the house was full of ghosts. Every knick knack and family picture reminded her that there were only two people now, being swallowed by the big Victorian-style house. Houses in New England don't stay on the market very long, so it wasn't difficult for her to sell it once she'd made up her mind. 

The hardest part was cleaning out her parents' room. She had been up late, drinking wine and packing away the last of the photos. She had been putting off even opening their door for over a week, but she knew it had to be done sooner or later. It took a fourth of the bottle for her to muster up enough will, but she took a few deep breaths, grabbed some boxes, and walked in. 

For a few minutes all she could do was sit on the end of their bed and look around. The room had more of Karen's touch, but she could still smell her dad's cologne. She started to tear up, but instead took another swallow of the zinfandel and started emptying drawers. The clothes were all going to charity; Toby wouldn't mind and they didn't hold much sentimental value for her. They just hung in the closet, abandoned by their owners. 

The task of sorting and packing went by much faster than she had expected. She never realized how quickly one could pack up the remnants of a human life. A few piles of clothes, some knick-knacks, and that was it. She hadn't noticed the rain until a roll of thunder startled her. She heard the windows rattle and she looked up, half-expectant. When she realized that nothing was there, she couldn't explain the vague sense of disappointment she'd felt. 

She used part of the money she made from selling the house to buy a cute duplex in a nice, middle-class neighborhood. She had decided to rent out the other half so she could use that to cover their few expenses. That way, she wouldn't have to dip into their savings. Realistically, Sarah realized she would probably not have to worry about money for a long time, if ever, but the idea of raising a child on her own was scary enough. She didn't want to have the threat of debt hanging over her head at any time. 

The counselor had noted this extreme prudence early in their sessions. 

"Sarah, I want you to be aware of how your actions affect Toby. Yes, be responsible, but don't become paranoid. He picks up on your moods with an accuracy I don't see in many children. He's also like you in that he'll blame himself if he thinks things are going wrong."

"That's the last thing I want! I don't want to make him feel responsible for any of this! I just want to make sure I can always provide for him." Sarah tried to explain herself to this woman examining their lives. How do you explain to a 45-year-old woman that you're trying your best to be an adult when you're so overwhelmed? Sarah had always been very independent, and she liked to think she was a responsible adult. But now, at 19, she was forced to be a kind of parent and her only experience was from the occasional baby-sitting job. At 15 she had screwed up, and she'd learned from it. But there were no magic words to defeat the situation she found herself in now and no guides to help her on her way. The real world presented a whole new challenge and Sarah was determined to meet it as best she could. 


	3. Making the Best of Things

Sarah picked up Toby from David's house around 4 o'clock. The two boys were hell-bent to have a sleepover, and since Mrs. Galway didn't mind, Sarah said ok.

"We've just got to go get you some clothes, kiddo, and you can pick right back up where you two left off." Toby pulled off the blanket he was using as a cape and ran to get his bookbag.

"You're sure you don't mind?" Sarah asked again.

"Not at all, Toby's always well-behaved." Mrs. Galway watched the two little boys high-five each other and smiled. "Besides, you need the time off. Are you still seeing that boy, Jeremy?"

"Yeah, we're going out tonight actually." Sarah smiled in spite of herself. Jeremy had mentioned he had something important to discuss with her and they were going to her favorite restaurant. 

"You two have been together for a while now, haven't you?"

Sarah nodded. "Three years now."

"Hmm, pretty serious. Well, don't settle down too quickly, you're still young." Mrs. Galway shook her finger at Sarah, but it wasn't serious. She always seemed relieved when Sarah talked about Jeremy, as if it reassured her that she was still living a semi-normal life. 

Sarah waved her hand dismissively. "Oh don't worry, I'm finishing school first."

"Yes, and how's that going?" Mrs. Galway asked.

"My grades are good, and with any luck I'll graduate next year," she said.

"That's awfully fast, isn't it? It's only been two years."

"I know, but I want to finish as soon as possible, you know? I just…I guess I want to be more available for Toby. I figure if I work hard now and get school out of the way I can focus my attention on him that much faster." It had been a hard decision for her to go back to college the semester following the accident. Had it not been for the encouragement of her counselor and Mrs. Galway she probably would have become one of those soccer moms who bake cookies and clean the bathroom while waiting for Toby to get out of school. She knew in the long run it was better she get her education, but she was always careful her schedule didn't affect Toby too much. As it was now, he probably preferred David's company to hers anyway. 

Toby chattered about the game he and David invented for most of the ride home. The rules seemed a little complicated to Sarah, but they stuck the logic of a 6 year-old, so she didn't question him on it. She did, however, change the subject.

"So how was your first day at school?" she asked, hoping to distract him.

"It was fun! Mrs. Griffin said we could choose our own projects, so I'm making a storybook, just like you." Toby grinned, flashing white teeth that weren't quite straight. 

"Wow, that's great Toby! But you know, I haven't written a book yet." 

"You will. I know you will. And then I'll buy them and show all my friends." He said it with such sincerity she reached over and ruffled his blond curls before turning her eyes back to the road.

"Thanks kiddo. So what's your story going to be about?"

"I don't know yet. Maybe I'll write it about Bounderball."

"What?" she asked.

"The game, Sarah. Weren't you listening?" he folded his arms over his chest, awaiting an answer with all the seriousness a 6 year-old can muster.

"Oh, of course. Sorry." She pulled into their driveway and grabbed her purse. "Let's get you packed."

She picked up the mail from the floor when they walked in. Mail slots had always bothered her after she'd seen a movie where a stalker had watched some girl through the mail slot. She flipped through the few letters and settled on the business-class envelope at the bottom of the pile. She knew what it was; she'd received a similar letter every month since the accident. The first time she'd received one, with an accompanying letter explaining the circumstances, she'd almost ripped it up. She didn't want anything from Richard Jones III. He had been wealthy enough to escape charges of manslaughter for the accident that killed her parents but every month his law firm sent her a five-figure check. Sarah saw it as blood money. She put half of it in a savings account for Toby until he was old enough to decide what he wanted to do with it, and her half she gave to M.A.D. 

She tossed the rest of the mail on a nearby end table and hid her discomfort as Toby came bounding back from his room with an overnight bag slung over his shoulder. 

"You ready?" she asked.

"Yep. Thanks for letting me spend the night at David's, Sarah. And I hope you have fun on your date." He pronounced "date" like a 3-syllable word, drawling it out until Sarah shoved him towards the car. 


	4. Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

Sarah didn't know how to react. Ideally, this would be an incredibly romantic setting. They were at Gigi's, he favorite Italian restaurant. They were seated out on the balcony, where small white lights twinkled between the grape vines that ran up the trellis. There was even a goddamn violin player, none of the cheesy piped-in Sinatra they play at Olive Garden. And this was the setting where her boyfriend of three years, the boy who claimed to love her, the boy she gave her virginity to, was dumping her. 

"What do you mean, you can't commit? What the fuck have we been doing the last three years?" she shook her head in frustration. If that was his excuse, it was a little late.

"No, I mean, Sarah, you're great. And I love you, I really do, but I just can't handle this ready-made family you've got going on." Jeremy ran his hand through his hair, a telltale sign of nervousness. 

"That's crap, Jeremy. It's not like I'm pregnant, I'm just taking care of my little brother." She stabbed angrily at her grilled swordfish, refusing to let an expensive meal go to waste when this would probably be the last one he paid for.

"You make it sound like a fucking babysitting job, but Sarah, be realistic. The kid's six. You're looking at the next twelve years of your life. I mean, if it were just the two of us, we could make it work, but I'm not ready to play daddy to your kid brother." He grabbed her hand as he said this, forcing him to look him in the eye. It was the intensity of his eyes that had first attracted her three years ago, back when she was still convincing her diary she'd never find another man she found as attractive as…

"Sarah, what are you thinking?" Jeremy asked, pulling her back to reality.

"Nothing," she mumbled.

"See? Goddamn it, this is exactly what I'm talking about. Even when we're together lately you're miles away. You're an island, Sarah, and nothing I do gets through to you!" He pulled away and leaned back in his chair, observing her from a distance as if to illustrate his point. 

"Gee, I'm sorry that my little personal tragedies bother you, Jeremy. Good thing you've made it perfectly clear that it's no longer your problem." Her eyes grew cold as she said it. _Screw the meal_ she thought, _no food is worth this crap_.

"Sarah, I mean it, if it weren't for your brother –" he started, but she quickly cut him off.

"Oh, what a lovely idea. I'll just hand my little brother over to child services so that I'll have more time to bake you cookies and suck your dick, ok?" She stood up from the table.

"Sarah that's not-"

"Fuck you, Jeremy." Sarah stormed out the door and got in her car. 

It was only 7:30 when Sarah got home from the restaurant, but she had no desire to go back out that night. She refused to cry over that asshole, but she did decide to give in to the every-woman's remedy: a hot shower, followed by large quantities of Ben 'n Jerry's Phish Food. She had just changed into her terry cloth bathrobe when the doorbell rang.

__

So help me God, if Jeremy followed me home I'm going to give him a piece of my mind she thought as she opened the door. But it wasn't Jeremy. Nothing could have prepared her for who she saw standing there. 


	5. How's Your Jesus Christ Hanging?

"Ms. Williams, you may not remember me-"  
  
"My, what a charming way of putting it. Richard Jones the third, the man who murdered my parents. I can't imagine that insulting my intelligence is the only reason you came here tonight." Sarah was still too shocked for the anger to settle in, but it was getting there pretty quickly.  
  
"Maybe this was a bad idea," he began, looking like a kicked puppy, "but I've been putting this off for too long already."  
  
The fact that he was essentially cowering before her did not go unnoticed by Sarah. This was a man who oversaw hundreds of people, telling them where to go and what to do. He made more money in a year than she would see in a lifetime and he probably hadn't cowered before anyone in a long time. Fortunately, Sarah thought, I've had some experience with proud men.  
  
As it was, her righteous anger did not put him off entirely. He still met her eyes and told her, "I came here to apologize."  
  
That was it. Sarah was amazed at the simplicity of it. And what sort of garnish can you put on an apology anyway? He already sent her money she would never accept. Somehow, though, hearing the words from his mouth as he stood under her porch light ignoring the moths as they fluttered around his head just felt like more salt in the wound.  
  
Sarah took a moment to collect herself and then very quietly said, "Mr. Jones, there is nothing, and I mean nothing, you could say or do that can fix the damage you've done. I don't want anything from you, not your money and certainly not your apologies. If you come here again, if you approach me on the street, if I have to see you again for any reason other than pure chance, I'm getting a restraining order. Is that clear?"  
  
He bowed his head, nodding as if he were already prepared for her answer. She took a moment while he was avoiding eye contact to look him over. He was wearing a dark gray suit with a red power tie, just like he had in court, but he didn't carry it with the same determination he had six months ago. His hair was still impeccably combed without a hair out of place, but it was skewed somehow, as if he couldn't part it quite evenly down the center anymore. She supposed it worked as a mask of calm for the majority of the people he saw throughout the day, but it smelled slightly of desperation. It was when he looked up at her again that she noticed the real change. His eyes carried dark rings under them, accentuated by the harsh light glaring from above his head. She had seen the same rings under her own eyes for the first four months after the accident. It seems she wasn't the only one who had suffered from insomnia lately.  
  
"Ms. Williams, I just have this to say and then I'll never bother you again. I want you to know that what I did to you and your brother haunts me. I haven't had a drink since the night it happened. I haven't slept more than two hours a night ever since. I realize this is no less than I deserve, and if this is the road to redemption then I will walk it gladly. That said, thank you for your time and I'm sorry to have disturbed you. I'm sorry for everything." Without another word he walked off towards his car, parked in front of the house. It was eerie, watching him slip outside of the circle of light afforded on the front porch. It was as if his body was slowly embraced by shadows, pulled out into the starless night. Sarah realized for the first time that this was what damnation looked like. Richard Jones wore the stooped features of a man already in hell. 


	6. If Wishes Were Horses

Unbeknownst to Sarah, Richard Jones was performing one more act on his road to redemption. He had left the running of his company to the many vice presidents jumping at the chance to impress him, and had begun a sort of babysitting. He spent his days watching over Toby. Sarah would have lost it had she known how Richard spent his free time, which was why he took extra lengths to avoid detection. He knew the routine she kept with her brother, and so he matched himself to their schedule. He had also managed to acquire such things as Sarah's cell phone number, should an emergency ever arise. Knowing the boy had lived was the only saving grace he felt he had, and he was determined that nothing else would ever harm young Toby.  
  
Everything about their routine suggested a forced attempt at normalcy, which was expected. The only thing he found unusual about the two was the second watcher they had. Richard hadn't paid much attention to the large bird that often seemed to be in the same vicinity until he realized it was an owl. He would have shrugged it off, despite the fact that he knew owls were nocturnal, had it not been for the fact that it was obviously watching Sarah and her brother. Then, there was the creepy incident that happened about a week later.  
  
Richard had watched Sarah drop Toby off at his friend's house, The Galways according to the mailbox. She had driven off, but the owl stayed behind. In a moment, though, it was back in flight, this time heading towards Richard's car. It screeched once and Richard, who had never seen an owl up close, let alone heard its battle cry, was startled half to death. But then the thing perched on his hood and stared at him through the windshield. It didn't break eye contact for at least five minutes, and Richard had the disturbing impression that he was being tested. Finally, as if it had found what it was looking for, the owl took off. He never saw the owl around Toby again, unless he was accompanied by his sister. That night, though, as he let himself be raked over the coals by Sarah, he had seen the owl perched in the maple tree that grew in the front yard.  
While Richard was pouring his heart out to an unresponsive Sarah, Toby and David were getting bored with Bounderball. Mrs. Galway had set up a tent in the backyard and they were both tucked into their sleeping bags, taking turns playing with the flashlight.  
  
"Toby, if you could wish for anything, what would it be?" David asked, not realizing the gravity of such a question.  
  
Toby's breath hitched in his throat and for a moment he saw his parents, their faces illuminated by oncoming headlights. He shook his head clear of that image and answered, "Sarah says never to make wishes because they might come true, but not in the way you want."  
  
"So wish for something nice," David shrugged, since he had only meant to wish for some more of those smores they'd had for dessert.  
  
Toby closed his eyes and envisioned Sarah. He had always been able to pick up on her moods and when he focused, even if he was far away, he could connect with her in a way that defied his understanding at that age. Being six, he had no way of realizing the level of empathy he had with his sister. He trained his thoughts on Sarah and suddenly he saw her, as clearly as if she were on a movie screen. She was sitting on her bed in her favorite pajamas, and she was crying. The shock of seeing her in tears prompted him to blurt out,  
  
"I wish Sarah had a grown-up friend to make her feel better."  
  
There was no roll of thunder, the clouds didn't part in the night sky, the words just drifted off as if they'd never been said.  
  
"Yeah, that's a good wish. I wish we could have some more smores," David mumbled before drifting off to sleep. Since no smores magically appeared in the tent, Toby rolled over in relief, imagining his own wish went unnoticed as well. 


	7. The Road Less Traveled

Of course, Sarah had been right about the dangers of wishing. There is always someone listening, waiting for the right wish to open the right door. Jareth smiled as he twisted back into human form. He knew that given enough time, one of the Williams would inadvertently invite him back into their lives. Granted, Toby hadn't wished for him exactly, but that was the beauty of wishes: they left themselves so open to interpretation.  
  
Now, though, he was faced with another dilemma. Although he was now allowed to re-enter Sarah's life, he wasn't quite sure how. Specifically, he couldn't decide between just showing up in her bedroom or ringing the doorbell. It would be his modus operandi to just pop in wherever he wanted, but he knew Sarah was crying, and since she didn't like him too much to begin with, that probably wasn't the safest course of action. That left the doorbell. After watching her chilly reception of Mr. Jones he wasn't too thrilled about that option either. Ah well, he thought, they say the road less traveled makes all the difference.  
  
* * *  
  
When Sarah heard the doorbell ring a second time that night she was stunned. Seeing Richard face to face had been the final touch to a truly horrendous evening and it absolutely amazed her that the possibility of the evening getting worse actually existed. Stopping a moment by the hall mirror, she wiped her eyes on the arm of her striped flannel pajamas, her favorites, and basically confirmed what she had already suspected: she looked like crap. A glance at the clock showed it was only 8:30. Without even bothering to check through the peephole, she threw the door open to find Jareth the Goblin King standing on her front porch. She started laughing.  
  
"You know, somehow I should have known you'd show up" she told him. She glanced over him once, and then frowned. "Whatever possessed you to ring the doorbell?"  
  
"Hmph! Well if I recall correctly you didn't take too kindly to my arriving through your bedroom window. I thought a more conventional approach would be in order." Jareth was a bit thrown off. He had expected, and perhaps had hoped, for a little more surprise on her part. It seemed that four years hadn't made Sarah any less unpredictable, but what she did next floored him. Without any more to do, she stepped away from the threshold and said, "Well, come on in." 


	8. Boys on My Left Side, Boys on My Right S...

Jareth was feeling pretty pleased with himself as he walked into Sarah's living room, and it must have showed. Sarah grinned maliciously at him and cut him off before he could speak.  
  
"Don't look so pleased with yourself Goblin King. I know you're just dying to tell me something, probably something that will piss me off, but it'll have to wait. If you're so determined to be here, you're going to have to sit through the crash and burn with me. 13 hours in a Labyrinth is nothing." Sarah quickly turned on her heel and plopped down on the couch.  
  
"What exactly did you have in mind?" he asked. He sat next to her on the couch; not too close, certainly not touching, but enough to make his presence felt. Sarah, for her part, didn't even seem to notice. He wasn't worried, though. After all, what could she possibly have in store for him that would equal the hell she was hinting at? Then he looked around a little more carefully. This was not the living room he was used to seeing through the window. In place of the random toys that Toby often left littering the house there were a box of tissues, a stack of videos, and a tub of ice cream with a very large spoon resting on top of it. He quickly turned his gaze back to Sarah, only to find her watching him with a half- hidden smirk.  
  
"I'm sorry, what exactly is a 'crash and burn'?" he asked.  
  
"This is where I, due to some stressful circumstances in my life right now, undergo some intentional emotional masochism. The idea behind it is that I allow myself to wallow in self-pity now, and that way I get it over with and move on. Crash and burn. And you get to suffer right along with me." Sarah was positively beaming at him by this point. It seemed to Jareth that this had less to do with her misery than it did with his.  
  
"So what does this 'crash and burn' entail?" He didn't need to ask; he'd seen her weapons of mass destruction laid out on the coffee table in front of him.  
  
"Oh, just about 3 hours or so of sad chick-flicks. And ice cream, but you can't have any of that." As if to prove her point she grabbed the carton of ice cream and placed it on her lap.  
  
"Wait a second! Why not? I at least gave you a peach when you ran through my gauntlet."  
  
Sarah, in turn, gave him the finger.  
  
"I just assumed you'd be watching your girlish figure. Besides, my torture, my rules. Now shut-up and turn off the light."  
  
Jareth switched off the lamp sitting next to him as Sarah started the first movie. Something titled "Truly, Madly, Deeply" began to play, and, after watching the heroine begin sobbing in the first five minutes, Jareth realized he was in for a very long night. 


	9. Crash Into Me

Disclaimer: Just a reminder, none of this is mine. Don't be deceived. A.N.: I'd like to address a concern that was brought up by a reader. Earlier in the story I wrote a comment about Sarah opting to stay in school rather than become a stay-at-home mom. This was not meant to belittle the efforts of stay-at-home moms. While I realize my imagery (baking cookies, cleaning bathrooms) was somewhat cliché, my intention was to emphasize Sarah's need to do something that was for herself rather than for Toby.  
  
It was 8:30 when the evening started and it was now almost 1 am. Jareth had never felt so emotionally drained in his entire life. Sarah had sobbed shamelessly at least once during each movie he had been subjected to, and had managed to finish the entire carton of ice cream in the meantime. He tried not looking at her, but she obviously didn't care whether he was there or not. Jareth wasn't sure exactly when it had happened, but he felt the distinct desire to cut off his own testicles.  
  
Sarah blew her nose once, threw the used tissues along with the empty ice cream carton in the trash, and then turned to ask him, "So what are you doing here?"  
  
"That's it? Just like that, after the hell I sat through, you can go back to business as usual?" Jareth stared at her in awe, and something akin to fear. It was like the last four and a half-hours never took place.  
  
"Believe it or not, Jareth, that wasn't about you, it was about me. Now I'm done." She watched him, her arms crossed over her chest and head tilted to one side. Determined not to give him the upper hand.  
  
This was completely out of character. Jareth realized he would have to update his ideas about Sarah. No longer being 15, he obviously couldn't depend upon the same emotional outbursts to give him the advantage. "Well, if you must know, Toby made a wish." Ah, there it is, he thought. Her eyes had widened just slightly, but enough to betray fear. However, it wasn't really fear he was looking for. I should probably stop goading her and just thank heaven for small favors.  
  
"I swear to God, you son of a-" "Sarah," he cut her off, "it's not what you think. It's actually rather charming. It seems your brother is more concerned for your well-being than you know. He wished for you to have a friend - a grown-up friend, I believe he phrased it - and I have decided to take him up on the offer." He settled back in the sofa, grinning as his words sunk in.  
  
Sarah didn't say anything for quite sometime. She just stared at Jareth, frowning slightly as if she didn't understand the words he had just spoken.  
  
"So..you're just here to be my friend?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You're joking, right?"  
  
"Would I have sat through those wretched movies if I weren't serious." He had a point there. Sarah sat in the recliner next to the couch, folded her hands under her chin and looked down at her lap. She deliberated over the possible outcomes. It was pretty apparent by that point that Jareth wasn't there for Toby. And it was entirely possible that he did indeed want to be friends. The psychiatrist would tell her this was a good opportunity to deal with her past, but the more Sarah thought about those 13 hours, the less she liked the idea of having Jareth around. She wasn't even sure who she was mad at, Jareth, or herself, but remembering the struggle she went through to keep Toby was enough. "No." she told him.  
  
"What do you mean 'no'?" he asked, taken aback.  
  
"I mean no. I don't want to be friends, I don't need you fulfilling any wishes, except this one: in the future, if Toby makes wishes, just ignore them." She stood up and pointed towards the door. "I appreciate the sentiment, Jareth, but no thanks. I think you know the way out." 


	10. Stupid Acts of Kindness

Ordinarily, Jareth would have been offended, if not downright hurt that this same girl was once again throwing his attentions back in his face. What Sarah didn't realize was that this time there was no time limit and there were no magic words. She was going to like him whether she liked it or not. Still, it wasn't the right time to press her, and so he stood up, bowed slightly, and disappeared.  
  
The next morning Sarah got up feeling rather refreshed. Despite everything that had happened the night before, she couldn't get over the elation that comes with a Friday morning. With Toby at the Galways she had no responsibilities that morning. She took a long shower, put on her favorite jeans and headed downstairs. Something was not right in her kitchen. She could smell it before she reached the door: coffee. Her coffee maker didn't have an automatic brewer.  
  
The kitchen was empty, as it should have been, but there was a half pot of coffee brewed and a mug sitting next to it. It seemed innocuous enough until she saw the note. Have a lovely morning -J. She crumpled the note up and tossed it in the trash can. She did, however, drink the coffee. The coffee was prepared just the way she liked it, two creams and one sugar. Sarah was lamenting this fact then she saw the next gift sitting at her usual place at the breakfast table: a huge blueberry muffin with brown sugar sprinkled on top. There was even a hint of steam coming off of it. Damn. While she took advantage of these things, Sarah kept reminding herself that she was not going to be swayed by these tactics to win her over. After all, he had offered her her dreams once; she wasn't going to be impressed by a free breakfast and she was definitely not going to forget the price tag that came along with the last "gift" he offered her. However, the rest of her day was plagued by little bits of thoughtfulness. The entire house was spotless when she went to pick up. Her gas tank was full when she went to run errands, and amazingly never stopped being full. She knew this because she had driven everywhere she possibly could to try and empty the tank. Which led to the next thing - she didn't see a single red light all day. All of her favorite songs were being played on the radio - without commercial breaks. Finally, Sarah had enough. Pulling into the mall parking lot, she glanced around and yelled, "Jareth, this isn't going to work! I don't want to be friends so you can just stop trying!" When she walked inside and saw that all of her favorite stores were having sales, she had to bite the inside of her mouth to keep from growling. 


	11. Ain't No Sunshine When He's Gone

__

Ah, finally. It's been awhile since I've even had time to think about this story, and for that I apologize. Let's hope my story hasn't been completely forgotten.

Ain't No Sunshine When He's Gone

Sarah debated on the wisdom of taking advantage of Jareth's offerings. The coffee was one thing; even the muffin was alright, and she could pass the car thing off as being beyond her control. But every time she tried on another piece of clothing and it fit perfectly, she would catch herself grinning at her reflection and then immediately try to bite it back. It was hard to remain indifferent when you found the perfect red dress. 

"This is nothing but trouble" she mumbled to herself. The salesgirl smiled at her, thinking she was referring to the pile of clothes draped over her arm.

"This must be your lucky day," the girl, Rachel according to her nametag, said. 

"Someone certainly wants me to think so." Sarah answered. Rachel just smiled the smile of someone whose commission is assured for the day.

Sarah decided to drop her bags off in the car and then have lunch. She passed up the food court, overcrowded with teenagers and mothers burdened with small children, in favor of a small bistro tucked in one corner of the mall. The place had been there for as long as she could remember, offering a small sanctuary to leisurely shoppers. She took a seat closer to the back, ordered an iced tea and settled into her chair to read over the menu.

She felt him behind her before he said anything.

"I must say, the red dress was stunning."

"I thought I said this wouldn't work." 

Without being invited, he sat down across from her, relieved to note she was smiling in spite of her tone. "You did say that about 3 hours ago. And now?"

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "You think I can just be won over by gifts? My that would be awfully shallow of me."

"Would you say you've been feeling stressed today Sarah? Sad?" he asked, seeming to change the subject.

"Well no, I mean, I was annoyed for awhile, but…no, I've actually had a lovely day." she paused, letting her gaze drift to the floor as she mulled over this new discovery. "Thank you." she added, meeting his gaze again.

"That's funny, considering just last night your boyfriend of three years dumped you rather cruelly, the man who killed your parents showed up on your doorstep only to be followed by the man who stole your brother. I can't imagine anyone else in your position describing their day as 'lovely' after such an evening." he remarked, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair.

Her eyes widened in sudden recognition. Before she could reply he leaned back in, placing one hand over hers. "Maybe I wasn't trying to win you over with trifling gifts. Maybe I was hoping to offer you some respite, the way a friend would."

The simplicity of it was touching. Who would have thought something as mindless as shopping could get her out of her head? And yet, she had to admit it was the first time she could remember being that at ease in a long time. They sat in silence for a moment until the waiter came over to take her order.

"Sir, will you be dining with the lady this afternoon?" he asked Jareth.

"Yes," Sarah answered for him without breaking eye contact. 

***

While Sarah and Jareth enjoyed their newfound friendship over deli sandwiches, Toby and David were explaining the rules of Bounderball to their friends at school. They had grabbed the best ball as soon as Mrs. Griffin released them onto the playground and had begun throwing it at each other in accordance with the game. Thomas, a shaggy blond with a pretty powerful right arm had just smacked Toby in the back, causing the orange rubber ball to ricochet into the woods along the edges of the playground.

"You're out, Toby, so you have to get the ball!" Thomas crowed. Toby, good-naturedly, followed the ball behind a cluster of trees. He didn't hear anyone slip behind him, and by the time he felt a hand go over his mouth, the harsh chemical smell had knocked him unconscious.

"Boys, what happened to your game?" Mrs. Griffin asked, coming over to where the boys stood clustered on the playground. She smiled, doing a mental head count. Her smile faltered when she came up one short. "Where's Toby?" She glanced around, again failing to catch sight of curly blond hair.

"He was supposed to get the ball, but he's takin' forever," Thomas grumbled.

Slightly alarmed, Mrs. Griffin jogged into the woods, finding the ball immediately, but no Toby. Another look around the playground confirmed her suspicions: Toby wasn't among the other children. Mrs. Griffin wasn't one to panic; children wander off and it's usually harmless. But there had been enough tragedy in the Williams' family to make her think fate wouldn't be that kind in this instance. She herded the children back inside, asked Mrs. Ruth next door to keep an eye on her class, and then ran down to the principle's office. Fifteen minutes later, she along with 5 other teachers who had been on break came inside and called the police. That was the easy part.

"What now?" Debra, the first grade teacher, asked.

Mrs. Griffin sighed. She suddenly felt incredibly old. "I have to tell Sarah." 


	12. When Your Demons Find Me

Jareth was walking Sarah back to her car. As much as he enjoyed her company, he didn't want to wear out his welcome. No need to overwhelm her; with this new promise of friendship it seemed they could have all the time in the world. Smiling to himself as he thought on this, he reached out and opened the door for her. She half-climbed in, one leg on the ground and one on the floorboard, when her cell phone rang. 

"Hello?" she answered. Jareth couldn't hear what was being said, but Sarah suddenly paled and slumped into her car seat, one hand grasping the edge of the door in a death-grip. "When?" she asked. "I'll be right there." He saw the panic in her eyes, and just as quickly, as if a door had slammed shut, he saw it replaced with stony determination. She emanated a cold rage that made him incredibly grateful she had decided to be his friend. Without his having to ask, she looked up at him and said, "Toby's gone."

He got in the passenger's side and they peeled out of the parking lot.

Driving into the school parking lot was horribly reminiscent of the night her parents died. Three police cruisers sat in the lot with their lights flashing. Mrs. Griffin was talking animatedly to an officer who seemed to be jotting notes. When she saw Sarah she ran over and gave her a hug. Sarah felt wet on her neck when she pulled away. 

"Ms. Williams," the officer with the note pad said as he walked over, "I've got some questions for you."

The next half hour was interminable. All Sarah could think of was getting on the road, hunting over every street and alley until she found her brother again. Officer Jordan told her what they knew and then asked questions about Toby's distinguishing features. She was vaguely aware of answering them, of Jareth's hand braced against her back, offering her support. She did everything in a daze until Officer Jordan asked, "Have there been any stranger men hanging around lately? Notice anyone you don't recognize spending time in your neighborhood?" Suddenly Richard Jones' face illuminated under her porch light sprung to mind. It was all so clear.

"That son of a bitch." she growled. At the officer's surprised expression she began explaining Richard Jones III.

***

As Sarah was giving his name to the police, Richard Jones was traveling down the Interstate two cars behind a maroon Taurus. He had noticed the man carrying a familiar blond head and placing it in the car a block up from where he usually parked, a safe distance from Toby's school. Without hesitation he began following the man, not sure of what, if anything, he could do, but determined not to screw up twice. 

***

_The boy will wake up soon. Should I drug him again? No, no too soon. He will be good. He must be good. I know he will be, else I would not have chosen him. He will understand. He will miss her at first; he is, after all, only a child, but then he will understand. _

The man piloted the car with ease down the Interstate. It would take at least four days to reach their destination, but he was not worried. No one had seen them leave, no one could identify him. The boy would be saved, offering him his own redemption. It had taken over a year to find the right candidate, the right one to save. One who was deserving. But he was down to the last four days, and then all the waiting would be over. Smiling, he reached over and ruffled the blond head laying in the passenger seat. A horn blasted and a black truck with three guys sped by, giving him the finger before weaving back through traffic. He frowned, began to accelerate, then though better of it. This was, after all, the very thing he was looking to escape, and to release the boy from. 

"People are animals. All of them, a filthy, stinking cesspool." he muttered. "We'll be through with them yet." He knew the boy wouldn't wake up for awhile longer, but he enjoyed addressing him. He had imagined it for weeks now, seeing the blue eyes glow with understanding of what he was trying to do. He saw himself mentoring the child in the brief time they had together. He could wait for him to wake up. In the meantime he continued talking, certain that the boy could, on some level, understand him. 

"I know what you've gone through. But that is what makes you the perfect candidate. You have experienced pain, loss, tragedy. You are not naïve to the real world, and yet you have retained your innocence. Innocence in children is easy to come by, that was my lesson to learn. I had to wait for someone who had gone through fire. You have been tested, you see? And you have survived." The words sounded good spoken aloud. He had rehearsed them in his head a dozen times or more for this meeting; now speaking them aloud gave them a tangibility. He was doing the right thing. 


	13. Hell Hath No Fury

Hell Hath No Fury

Sarah stormed through her front door and ran to her room. Jareth trailed behind her, still uncertain as to what he should do. He found her tossing clothes into a duffel bag, running back and forth between the bureau and the closet. 

"Sarah, what are you doing? The officer said they would be in touch." He tried to stand between her and the bed, where the duffel bag was quickly filling, but she merely twirled around him without breaking stride.

"You're kidding me, right? Do you honestly expect me to sit around and do nothing? Just depend on some strangers to find my brother?" There was the same cold resilience in her expression, but Jareth suspected there wasn't much in the way of rational thinking going on. Slightly more concerned, he grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to stop and look him in the face.

"Sarah. Listen to me, this isn't the Labyrinth, this isn't some test or challenge you can beat. We are most likely dealing with some sick individual who operates on a very different level of reasoning from yours."

"Well it doesn't sound too different from last time, then." she bit back. 

Jareth dropped his arms from her shoulders. "I didn't take him this time." There was more in his tone than what he was saying, and Sarah wasn't so angry she didn't notice.

"I'm sorry, Jareth, it's just -" she didn't get a chance to finish before her cell phone began chirping.

The voice on the other end was broken up by static, but she could just make out the voice saying, "Don't ask questions, just get on the interstate. We're in Maryland and…" before it broke up completely. Sarah stared at the phone in her hand for a second longer before turning to Jareth and saying, "Grab the bag."

She had the foresight to pick up the phone charger from the dresser as she ran out to the car, Jareth a step ahead of her.

***

Richard shook the little cell phone as if that would somehow restore it to life. The batteries were fine, but the little antenna on the face showed he was outside of his service area. 

"You've got to be kidding me!" he yelled at it, half expecting it to answer. It did not however, and it was with some shame that he remembered telling the sales girl not to bother with the roaming package since he'd never use it. "Damn. Damn, damn, damn" he muttered to himself, hoping Sarah had been able to hear him before his phone cut out. The maroon Taurus had yet to stop and he had no idea when he'd get another chance to call. Amazed, he saw it had only been about an hour since Toby had been abducted. If the man had a full tank of gas it could very well be several hours before he'd stop.

***

"Who was that?" Jareth asked, although he more or less knew the answer. He wanted to keep Sarah talking rather than stewing in her head.

"That was Richard. Son of a bitch is in Maryland. He's got Toby." She sped up the on ramp to the interstate, quickly merging with traffic and accelerating to 85mph. 

Jareth was pretty dubious about Richard being the kidnapper, but he didn't say so directly. "How do you know?" he asked.

"He said 'we.' What other 'we' could he mean?" she looked at him as if her were the biggest idiot for not putting the two together.

"What if he were merely following the kidnapper?" Jareth suggested, realizing there was no way he could back up this claim without admitting he had been watching the Williams as well. At this point, Sarah might have just pushed him out the speeding car if he implied any stalker tendencies in himself. 

As it was, Sarah picked up the train of thought as well and shuddered. "That presents a set of possibilities I don't even want to consider right now."

They cruised along in silence for awhile before Sarah turned to him, wide-eyed, and said, "Wait a second! Can't you just pull him up in your crystal? You can find him if I wish it, right?"

Jareth rolled his eyes, "I'm not a genie, you know." But he did conjure up a crystal. Sarah was leaning over trying to glimpse over his shoulder and it was only the honking of the car in the next lane that brought her attention back to the road. There was nothing to see, however, only a murky blue.

"What is it? Do you see him?" she asked.

"I won't see anything if you drive us off the road," he commented dryly, frowning. "But no, I can't see anything."

Sarah paled, but she kept her eyes on the road. "Does that mean he's…"

"No. It means there's faith involved." His lip curled as he said the word, spitting it out like a rotten piece of fruit.

"Excuse me? What the hell does _faith_ have to do with anything?" She tried to keep from yelling, but it seemed a ridiculous subject to bring up right then. 

Jareth sighed, "This may take a while," he warned.

"Jareth, I hate to break it to you, but we've got quite a ways before we hit Maryland. You might as well start talking."

He sighed again, trying to think of how best to summarize all his thoughts. "Alright. You're familiar with the concept of faith, correct?"

She tried to recall the few trips to church she had suffered through as a child, "Umm, well yeah I guess. It's just sort of believing in something, right?"

"Not exactly. Belief is a very basic concept. You believe in the sun because you can see it and feel it. Faith is that extra step, believing without seeing. You're probably more familiar with it in a religious context, as that's what your people have turned it into, more or less."

"I don't know that I have that type of faith necessarily."

"Maybe, maybe not. But did you ever stop to wonder why when you called upon the goblins, they came?"

"Because I called." She shrugged her shoulders, "I said the words."

"Sarah, those words, or at least some close proximity, are uttered every day."

"I doubt there are that many people wishing upon goblins these days" she interrupted, grinning at him in spite of everything.

He smiled in return. "No, you're right. But you've heard people say things like, 'I wish they would drop dead' perhaps, something along those lines."

"Well yeah, but nothing ever happens." she frowned, still trying to make the connection he was leading up to.

"Not always, no, because they believe their words are meaningless. As much as they may even mean it at the time, very few people really believe in the power of their words, their wishes. Why do you think there aren't more lottery winners?"

"But when I wished Toby away, I didn't really mean it! I _told_ you that when it happened!" Sarah argued.

"No, you didn't mean it, but you _did_ believe it. Just like when Toby made his wish, he inherently believed it would come true. You've cultivated that in him, by the way; he respects the power of his words more than most." 

"Ok, so I had faith that goblins would take Toby and he had faith that some grownup, namely you, would be my friend. What does that have to do with you not being able to see Toby? If it's all a matter of faith, I had faith that you could see him and you couldn't. I-"

Jareth cut her off with a wave of his hand. "I'm getting to that. The problem here is that our kidnapper obviously has a great deal of faith that what he is doing is right. Now, since most people believe in a god of some sort other than myself -"

Sarah snorted and Jareth pointedly ignored it.

"_I_ cannot see him. His faith shields him. It's just rare that I come across instances where faith, in whatever form, is being used for obvious ill rather than good."

"So what you're saying is we're flying blind until I get another phone call." Sarah said.

"I'm afraid so."


	14. Interludes

Toby re-entered consciousness with a dry-heaving fit that clenched his stomach into a knot. 

"It's the chloroform wearing off. It'll pass." said the man behind the wheel. He wondered briefly why he wasn't frightened before he drifted back into a fitful sleep. The man behind the wheel smiled, ran a hand over the blond curls in the passenger seat, and they drove on in silence. 

Now only four cars behind, Richard wondered when the maroon Taurus would finally stop and what he would do when it did. He tried to approach the situation the way he did all his business deals: figure out what the client wants more than anything, then use it as a bartering chip. Either offer it in exchange for what you want, or withhold it until you get what you want. It seemed the Taurus already had what he wanted, leaving Richard at a definite disadvantage. But he knew the next rule of business dealing: He who speaks first, loses. And Richard never lost. He would wait until the Taurus laid his cards on the table, and then he would make his move. 

***

"Sarah it's been over three hours. Now, you'll never run out of gas but that's not an excuse to drive straight through." Jareth tried reasoning with her, as her concentration had been lapsing more and more throughout the conversation.

"Are you joking? I'm not just pulling off the road when Toby's out there!" Sarah tightened her grip on the wheel, as if she were afraid he'd try to wrench it from her right there.

Before they could get into it, the cell phone rang. Sarah's arm shot out towards her purse where it stuck out, but Jareth had it to his ear before she even made contact. 

"Where is he?" he asked without any preamble.

***

At a phone booth 400 miles away Richard stopped and looked at the phone in his hand, almost in disbelief. Somehow, he _knew_ who he was talking to. It was crazy, but he saw the owl in his mind as clearly as if it were still perched on his car hood. 

"West Virginia." he answered, "Heading west. I don't know how long I've got or how often I can call. They only stopped for gas."

A pause as he heard the voice relaying the information to Sarah. Heard her swear. At the same time, he saw the man finish paying and head back to the car.

"I've got to go. Tell her it wasn't me." he asked. He hung up and ran to his car before he got a reply. He wasn't sure he wanted one. 

***

"Why west? Why any of this? I thought kidnappers asked for ransom or something." Sarah had moved past the agitated stage, her questions didn't have the same ring of hysteria from earlier that day.

"Sarah, do you have any idea how many children disappear each day?" Jareth asked.

"Are we counting the ones in which you have some involvement?" It wasn't sarcastic; she was smiling as she said it.

Instead of answering, he took a moment to appreciate her ability to cut the tension with humor. Most people in her position would be home wringing their hands and praying the police could find their missing loved one. Or worse, they would be half-crazed, stalking the highways with a gun. Sarah was worried, yes, and frightened, but much like their encounters in the Labyrinth, she was in control. He wondered if she realized how much he respected her for that.

"You know, you're really quite incredible, Sarah." he said. The comment made her blush, but he didn't pursue it. _Hardly the time to be making confessions, _Jareth thought to himself before answering his previous question. "Hundreds of children go missing every day. And yes, some of it is courtesy of yours truly. Then of course you have runaways and parents who kidnap their own children. But after that the numbers are still monstrously high. And there are rarely any ransom notes or anything that could be construed as motive."

"Wow, you really know how to cheer a girl up." she said, trying to block out the ugliness of his words but knowing he was right.

He reached over and placed a hand over her own as it rested on the steering wheel. "You don't realize how fortunate you are. In the midst of all these tragedies, of which your brother would become just another statistic in an overtaxed system, you have an advantage."

She smiled softly, a glow re-igniting behind her eyes. "West."

"Exactly. West…and me" he added as an afterthought. 

"Yes," she echoed, glancing at him before returning her focus to the never-ending black top, "and you." 


	15. Rest stop

They had been driving most of the night. Sarah had no idea what to do other than head west, and the exhaustion was quickly combining with the anxiety. 

"Sarah we have to stop."

"No."

"Sarah, you've been driving for 10 hours. We're both exhausted and you're going to go crazy if you keep peering out of that windshield."

"Go to sleep if you want to, I'll be fine." the yawn escaped her even as she said it. For a moment she hated her body for its treachery.

"Oh yes, I'm sure I'll have no problem drifting off. Never mind my concern that if I don't keep an eye on you we'll go smashing into a girder." His own weariness was evident around his eyes, written in the strain at the corners of his mouth.

"Alright. The next exit we see we'll get a room." She had meant to fight more, she was sure of it, but suddenly all she could think about was getting a shower and getting some sleep. 

Jareth was surprised as well when she gave in, but then the shining light of the Motel 6 stood out like a beacon in the darkness and he simply thanked the universe for small miracles.

***

Richard was relieved to note that even kidnappers needed sleep. For an insomniac, he was quickly reaching his limits. He knew he'd be fine with a good 4 hours sleep; it was those damned lines on the road, lulling him with their hypnotic rhythm. When the Taurus pulled into the Comfort Inn he breathed a sigh of relief before pulling into the parking lot of the Ramada next door.

***

The excitement of finally having the boy was wearing off, quickly being replaced with the need for sleep. Toby had been in and out for most of the evening, the chloroform having sapped his body of energy. When he was awake, he listened to the man behind the wheel and asked no questions. He absorbed it all, and this only confirmed for the man that this was the one. No tears, no whimpered requests for family; he was nothing like the last ones. 

"Now, we're going to stop for the night. You're going to sit here while I get a room, and you're going to behave." he didn't feel the need to threaten the boy, but his voice held an edge that brooked no arguments. He felt a flush of pride when he returned to find the boy still sitting there, and still more when they walked up to the room without any problems. He bolted the door against the outside world and prepared to sleep the sleep of a lion who has no idea it's being hunted. 


	16. Hey Jupiter, Nothing's Been the Same

It took a moment for Jareth to identify the noise coming from the other bed. As he awoke fully the realization of what the sound was made his chest tighten. Crying. Sarah was crying.

It wasn't the first time he had heard it; he had spent those gruesome 6 hours as she sobbed over sappy movies and a relationship gone sour. But this wasn't the sound of emotional release. This was the soft keening of someone who holds their pain close to their chest until it overflows. These tears were simply the excess her body couldn't contain anymore. Without any thought to propriety or his own personal safety, Jareth slipped out of his bed and moved through the dark to hers. She was at the far end of the double bed, curled in a fetal position with her back to him. He stayed on top of the covers, but curled his body around her form. She didn't seem to notice.

"Shhhh. It's ok," he murmured, running a hand over hair still damp from her shower. It did not have the desired effect, though, as her body only rocked harder. 

"How do I keep doing this?" she whispered, over and over. 

"Doing what?" he asked, but there was no answer. Just the quiet sobbing that spasmed through her. It felt like hours before she began to settle, the sobs reduced to tears that she let roll down her cheek onto the bedspread.

She sighed as she began talking, more to the darkness than to him. "Every time I tell myself I'll do better. I won't be careless, I won't be thoughtless. And yet every time I mess up."

"Sarah, what was said three years ago was said as a child. You learned from it and never made the same mistake again. That's part of growing up. You can't blame yourself for what happened today." Jareth wasn't sure if he wanted to hold her or shake her. Surely she wasn't still tormenting herself for wishing Toby away. As it was, he opted for propping himself over her on one arm, leaving his right hand free to continue running through her hair.

"No, I know. But it's like I set off a chain reaction. Bad things happen to Toby because of me." the "me" trailed off into small convulsions as she fought the urge to cry again. 

This time he did shake her, or very nearly. Grabbing her shoulder, he pushed her over until she lay flat on her back, looking up at him. "Listen to me very carefully, Sarah," he said, insistent, "that is _not_ true. You have made a life for him after a horrible tragedy. Not many women your age would be up to the task. And you're the best chance he's got to coming out of this safely. Do you understand me?"

Rather than comforting, she just shook her head and rolled back on her side, facing the wall. Her voice was stronger when she answered, though, meaning the tears were over. For the first time he wondered if maybe that was because she had buried them again rather than gained any true release. 

"I hate how everyone tells me that." she began. "When it first happened, all I got were cards and visits from people who all told me the same thing: That Toby's so lucky to have a sister like me to take care of him. Some sister," she laughed, humorless, "a sister who wishes him away to goblins of all things and then that…"

She had trailed off, but he was pretty sure he knew what "that" was referring to. "Sarah, I know it sounds cliché, but sometimes tragedies just happen. We can't explain them, we can't necessarily avoid them -"

"Ah, but see, there you're wrong." she cut him off. "Everything, every goddamn thing could have been avoided! I just keep messing up!"

"Sarah, you're not making sense! I don't understand how you can blame any of this on yourself!"

"No, you wouldn't understand," she mumbled before burying her head in the pillow. When it became apparent she wasn't going to say anymore he began to slide back to his own bed. Before he could get far, though, her hand reached out and grabbed his. 

"No, stay." 

He thought for a moment that he had never heard two more beautiful words in his life. Confident now, he returned to spooning with her, his arm wrapped over her until his hand covered hers. Her hair smelled like almonds with a hint of vanilla. He realized that he was going to have a difficult time not nuzzling her neck. It was horrible, he knew - she was obviously distraught over something and he was thinking of making advances. He tried distracting himself. After all, she was upset and over more than just the obvious. But she was right; he didn't understand what it was that was eating away at her. Her breathing had stilled, meaning she had probably fallen back asleep, so he couldn't even ask her. Sighing, he murmured, "I wish you would tell me what's wrong."

He almost jumped when she actually answered. "The day before the accident, Jeremy and I got in a fight. It was stupid; I can't even remember what we were fighting over. Just one of those dumb things couples argue over and then blow out of proportion. It happened at least once a month with us and we always made up a day or two later. We'd get mad, storm off, then someone would call and apologize." she paused, shaking her head. Her hair brushed against his cheek with each toss of her head. "I had told Karen the week before that I'd babysit Toby so they could go out. But then Jeremy called and asked if we could go talk." 

"Talk," she snorted, "Talk meaning we'd go to a café, he'd apologize so we could go back to his place and have make-up sex."

Without meaning to, Jareth heard himself growl under his breath. He hoped her story was getting to a point other than sleeping with that boy. 

"Karen was so nice about it, she told me to go out and have a good time, that she'd get Mrs. Thompson to babysit." her voice broke as she finished, "When I came home the police were everywhere. They…they told me what happened… how Toby…." she trailed off, squeezing her eyes shut against tears that threatened to leak out. She waited until the spasm passed and she could breathe steadily again. "That's how I almost lost Toby a second time. For one stupid night with my stupid boyfriend who didn't even stick around when things went to hell. It was such a waste, just a stupid fucking waste!" Angry now, she pounded into the mattress as she spit out each word. 

He didn't know what to say. Experience had taught him that the only thing truly impossible to change is someone else's beliefs. Instead he just squeezed her tighter, holding down her hands so they couldn't wreak any more vengeance upon the mattress. "Sarah, Sarah" he whispered her name like a mantra until she settled. She didn't cry, but shivered slightly. 

"Do you believe that Toby blames you for what happened?" he asked gently.

"No." Her voice was very small when she answered.

"Then why do you keep blaming yourself?" he pressed.

"I feel it eat away at my heart. It's like a poison I can't find the cure to, and then I think maybe I don't deserve a cure, maybe there is none for someone like me. And then I pick Toby up from school, or I wake him up in the morning, and he smiles at me and I think, 'This is why I'm here. For all my mistakes I can still make him smile like that.' And then my chest hurts a little less."

He sighed, rolling her over once more so he could look her in the eye. "Believe me when I say this, that I would go to any length to make this better for you if I could. But until you learn to forgive yourself, Sarah, this will never stop haunting you, and nothing in my power will fix it." 

She met his gaze, began to say something then paused, changing her mind. "I'm glad you're here with me."

He kissed her forehead softly, "I will always be here for you."

She smiled before rolling back on her side, holding his hand in both of hers. "'Til the world falls down?" she asked, the smile still evident behind her words.

He smiled into her hair. "Longer." 


	17. You miss my hair, I miss your eyes

A.N: Alright. This story is finishing tonight. Or close enough. I'm going into the long-haul to wrap this up once and for all. Any and all comments are welcome, as I'll probably have to revise it later.

Richard only needed about 4 hours of sleep to feel rested. _Well, as rested as I ever feel_, he thought to himself. This morning was different, though. He hadn't been awoken by night terrors for the first time since the accident. He could feel adrenaline pumping in his veins, his lungs seemed to take in more oxygen. For the first time in what felt like forever he awoke with purpose. 

He called Sarah to tell them where they were. They were still a good ways away, but he felt with a couple hours head start they could catch up quickly. Coffee in hand, he sat in his car and watched the sun rise from behind the hotel Toby was staying in. He realized it would probably be another 3 hours or so before they hit the road again, but he was determined to be prepared for any eventuality. 

It was another 2 hours before anyone emerged from the room. The man walked downstairs, probably to check out, and returned minutes later. Richard was surprised that he felt comfortable leaving Toby unattended. As he watched the two walk towards the Taurus he noticed that Toby seemed awfully docile. Probably drugged. He started his car and prepared for another long day on the road, not wanting to call Sarah again until he had a clear idea of where they were heading. 

***

Sarah was confused. Incredibly comfortable, but confused. The arm wrapped over her was not Jeremy's. She knew this without even glancing down, because she and Jeremy had always ended up with their backs to each other, regardless of their positions before going to bed. Squinting at the clock it seemed to read 4:08. Too early for higher-brain functions. The arm around her seemed to agree, because it tightened around her, pulling her into the warm chest at her back. 

There was a slight rumble from behind her, muffled as it was by her hair. Rather than try to figure out the mystery, she gave back in to sleep, burrowing under the body that was more than willing to oblige her. It's an odd thing, being conscious at 4 am. The body is awake, on some primal level, but there is nothing beyond the most basic of sensations. Sarah was aware of the warmth emanating from the other body on the bed. She could feel the chest rise and fall in time with her own, as if it were one set of lungs feeding them both. And she could smell the hint of musk, that mix of sandalwood and…Jareth. It was Jareth. 

Her mind tripped over this new piece of information, but before she could decide how she felt about that, a new sensation entered the equation. It was a buzzing, not high-pitched enough to be an alarm clock, but it was continuous and, she decided, annoying. The problem was that the noise was coming from behind her, _them_, on the nightstand. Now she had to decide how to reach over and stop it. She could sit up and reach over, essentially pushing her breasts into his face, or she could roll over and reach over him. Annoying or not, though, it was still 4 am and sitting up would be too much effort. Grumbling to herself and at the noise that wouldn't stop, she rolled over and threw her arm out towards the nightstand. She noticed as she hit the "CALL" button on her cell phone that the arm from around her waist had followed her journey and was now firmly pressing her against him. 

"Hello," she answered in a voice groggy from sleep.

On the other end she heard Richard tell her where they had stopped for the night. Still mentally fumbling, she figured they were a good 3 hours behind them. 

"Sarah, it wasn't me."

She sighed into the phone. "I know. I know _now_ anyway." When he didn't say anymore she continued, "We have to get back on the road." He promised to call again when he got the chance and she thanked him before hanging up. 

She tossed the phone back onto the nightstand before addressing the sleepy Goblin King beneath her. And he was definitely beneath her, she noticed, glancing down at their bodies. One leg was thrown over his, most of her upper body covered his from her dash to reach the phone, and now both arms rested on his chest. His eyes were still half-closed from sleep, but he was grinning up at her. Before she could roll back off his other arm snaked over her waist, effectively keeping her in place. 

Nonplussed, she looked down at him, her hair cascading on either side of his face. "Having fun?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"I can think of no better way to wake up," he answered. "Well," he paused, eyes roaming down her body before meeting her gaze again, "almost no better way."

"You're horrible," she said, blushing slightly.

"I beg to differ," he said, rolling over and pinning her beneath him. Giving in to the urge he had fought last night, he buried his head in her neck, nuzzling his way to her ear where he whispered, "I can prove it, if you want."

This was getting to be too much. Sighing, she pushed herself into a sitting position, surprised when he didn't put up a fight. She understood why when his hands came up to cup her face. Mirroring his actions she rested her forehead against his, breathing in the air between them that smelled of musk and almonds. They didn't say anything for awhile, and then her hands came down to his shoulders where they pushed, almost of their own volition, until there was some distance between them. 

Her brow furrowed in concentration. "We will address this _after_ I get Toby back." And without another word she rose, grabbed her duffel bag and walked into the bathroom to change. 

Jareth watched the closed door, stretching back onto the side of the bed Sarah had just vacated. "I wait with baited breath" he murmured. 


	18. All This Solitude is My Confidence Erodi...

The time was fast approaching. He could feel the place calling to him. 

"We will be there soon." he told the boy.

"What happens then?"

"I set you free." 

The boy seemed to accept that response, not choosing to ask any more questions. But the man found he wanted to talk more. 

"You've been so well-behaved. Nothing like the last ones."

"There were others?"

"Yes, but they weren't the right ones. You're different. Do you know why you're different?"

"I…Sarah says I'm not supposed to talk about it."

"Ah, well, your sister means well, but she can't possibly understand. They say confession is good for the soul, you know."

The boy paused, scrunching his face in an effort to concentrate. "It has to do with a place I went to once. Sarah doesn't like to talk about it, but I know she thinks about it all the time."

"I've searched for years for the right one," the man continued, as if Toby hadn't spoken at all, "and now it's all coming full circle." Breathing a sigh of relief, he repeated to himself, "Full circle."

"Where are we going?" the boy asked, not for the first time. This time, however, as the man felt the Place reaching towards him across the black top, he decided to answer.

"There are still places left in this soulless country that have power. We are going to just such a place."

"What kind of place is it?" he kept asking, happy to finally be getting answers.

"It is an abandoned church in Kansas. Have you ever been to Kansas?" The boy shook his head. "Well, many years ago, when good men were wiping out the pagans that haunted the land, they founded this church. And like their message it has stood the test of time, more or less."

"More or less?" the boy asked, confused. Churches, like any building, either stand or crumble.

"The message has changed over time. The church, well, it's still standing, but it has been forgotten by the people. I am the last of a long line who remember. Once I set you free, though, I will no longer have to carry its weight. I will be released."

"What is the message if its so heavy? Why don't you want to share it anymore?"

"The message? The message is simple: The wages of sin is death. But I am tired. No one in this soulless country listens anymore. The people don't understand _why_ they are being punished, and so the message has lost its meaning."

"Well maybe they just need a better explanation. Is there more to the message?"

The man looked at the boy, his eyes cold, "Everyone must pay the wages."

It occurred to Toby for the first time that perhaps when the man told him he would "set him free," it wasn't the freedom Toby expected. 

***

Sarah and Jareth rode on in silence. Neither had mentioned the incident that morning, as they had agreed to put it on hold. However, it sat between them in the silence, almost palpable, and they found they could think of nothing else to say. Sarah knew they were drawing close to the kidnapper, and as they were about 100 miles outside of Kansas something in her gut knew the chase was drawing to a close.

"Kansas," Jareth began, reading the sign as they passed, "There's a lovely little story about that place, is there not? Something about a girl and her dog traveling to a magic land?"

"You mean the Wizard of Oz?" Sarah asked, rather charmed that he was familiar with that bit of folklore. 

"Yes, that's the one. A shame it's complete rubbish." he flicked his hand as if dismissing the whole notion.

"What, is it infringing on your territory?" she shot back, her earlier reaction quickly forgotten.

"Certainly not. _My_ territory is well in hand. But the author wrote like someone who'd never been there. All that nonsense about wicked witches and peaceful Munchkins. I wouldn't step back in that place for all the wishes in the world." he grimaced, as if the mere memory was enough to make him ill.

Sarah giggled a little in spite of herself, "You know, not everyone who writes or reads these books ever expects that such a place exists. He probably hadn't been to Oz." Suddenly, a though hit her, "Who wrote the Labyrinth I read? I never found an author. Had they been there before? Is that how they knew the words?"

Jareth was mentally smacking himself in the head. He should have known one thing would lead to another. He avoided the urge to bite off his tongue, however and tried as tactfully as possible to answer. It didn't matter, though, he knew what her response would be. "Well…yes, the author had been there before and that, I suppose, is how they knew the words. It's…it's difficult to explain about the author. You see, the book's been around such a long time it's easy to forget there was a time when it didn't exist."

"But you know that there was a time when it didn't. So you know the author." It wasn't a question.

"And again, it's been such a long time that -"

She cut him off before he could finish. "It's you, isn't it?"

His silence was more damning than any response.

"You _bastard_!" Her arm shot out to punch his shoulder. Jareth winced, but didn't complain. After all, he knew it was coming. "That explains why I never found it in any bookstores or libraries! So how the hell did I end up with a copy?"

Sighing, he leaned against the car door and rested his head against the window. "Once upon a time it was common knowledge that wishing away a child would bring me to their doorstep. Belief was strong, as was magic. Then, as people migrated to this New World, they left their old beliefs behind. Magic will never truly die, Sarah, but it grows weak, complacent. And it is incredibly boring to go decades without being called upon."

"Surely even when people believed in you they weren't calling on you! They knew what would happen!"

"Believe it or not, Sarah, there are very few as loyal as you. Yes, occasionally it would be uttered as a threat, with no real intent behind it. And those few would traverse my Labyrinth, some won, some failed. But you must understand that for many, peasants with too many mouths to feed and too little money, wishing away one meant caring for the rest." He explained as best he could, knowing there was little he could do to make a girl of the 20th century understand famine, plague, or poverty. 

But he had underestimated her again, a habit, he realized, that he was going to have to overcome. She nodded slowly, "I never thought of it that way. And all you do is turn them into goblins. That's not so bad, is it? I mean compared to starving?"

"No," he smiled, "it's not so bad. Goblins have no memory of their life before. Granted, they never make good conversationalists, but despite outward appearances they maintain the simplicity of children. They never know real pain or suffering, but for this they exchange higher thought."

"Even if it's not their choice?" she asked.

"They can't make the choice, Sarah. They're children, and like all children they have to rely on their parents' decision." He knew it was a circular logic, but it was the best explanation he could offer.

"So…after people stopped wishing their children away you sent out the books to remind them." Jareth wasn't sure if she was asking or accusing.

"Well, not in great abundance. If it seemed like the child would be better off, I made sure a copy got in the right hands. After the child disappeared the book usually disappeared with it."

"But that doesn't explain how I got a copy. Toby was loved; there was no need for him to be wished away."

"I didn't send it for him." he answered tersely. She glanced over at him, looking somewhat like a deer in headlights when his eyes met hers. "Sarah, surely I don't need to explain myself any further."

The car drowned in silence, until a quiet voice broke through. "No. No you don't have to explain." She surprised both of them when she reached over and intertwined her fingers with his. He looked down at their linked hands as if it were a foreign object, a bemused smile on his face. That all changed though when she said, "Now tell me about the land of Oz."

"Ugh," he half-moaned, "don't get me started."


	19. Inside This Tension that I'm Feeling

"So you see, much like stories of the Goblin King, that poor witch and her sister have been feared and maligned for years." 

Jareth shot Sarah a look when she began giggling, but she couldn't help it. He had been regaling her for the last hour and a half about the horrors of Oz, tales of mismanagement and political espionage. She still found it hard to imagine Munchkins as the devious lot Jareth made them out to be, but then again she reminded herself that she'd never actually been there. It was bizarre to think that such a place existed, but she supposed it was no more bizarre than a Labyrinth. 

"Oh yeah," she said through her laughter, "your poor, maligned reputation."

When he rolled his eyes at her she continued, "Don't give me that. You love it and you know it. You totally play up to your audience."

"Sarah, I don't have the first idea what you're talking about." He looked almost upset as he said it, but his hand didn't release hers.

"Right, then the whole bursting through the window, the glitter, the black leather, the _snake_, none of that was intended to intimidate."

"Of course not," he answered, but his gaze had drifted out his window as he said it.

"Sarah," she intoned in her best British accent, "Don't defy me! What the hell was that about, hmmm?"

"What can I say, my dear?" he asked, running his thumb over hers, "You drive me to distraction. I can hardly be responsible for the things I say when you're being so…impertinent."

"If that's your round-about way of saying I'm right then I'll accept that." she smirked at him.

"Is it always going to be a challenge to get you to take a compliment?" he countered.

She sat and pretended to think for a moment before answering, "I guess time will tell, won't it?"

Jareth found himself holding his breath, waiting for her to retract or somehow alter her statement. When nothing else was forthcoming he asked, "Will it?" his eyes staring straight ahead.

Because he was intentionally avoiding eye contact he missed the lovely shade of rose she was blushing as the full realization of her statement hit her. Rather than answer directly, she brushed it off. "I thought we agreed to discuss this later."

"That's rather difficult when you keep bringing it up," he pointed out. 

Sarah sighed, but she wasn't quite ready to give in. "I'm sorry. It's like you said, you drive me to distraction. But I can't be distracted right now, I have to focus on getting Toby back."

"Fair enough," he said. "But Sarah, after we get Toby back, no excuses. Agreed?"

"Agreed." The small knot of nervous tension didn't go away entirely, but she felt some relief at having put it off another day.

***

"We are almost there," the man told Toby as he pulled off the highway. There had only been one exit sign for the small town, and after the Exxon station at the corner of the off-ramp there was nothing but fields for miles. The sky was growing steadily grayer but it didn't smell like rain. It was as if the whole world was carrying a sense of foreboding. Toby was trying to get his thoughts in order. The man had explained on the first day that he was taking Toby someplace special where he would set him free. When Toby had asked if he could call Sarah and tell her, the man had explained that Sarah would be hurt. Toby didn't want to hurt his sister anymore and so he had traveled with the man, doing as he was told. But now he was wondering if perhaps he should have tried to make a break for it. After all, even after he was set free, how would he get home again? And why did the man need to take him all the way to Kansas just to set him free? He was confused and beginning to think he had misunderstood something very important.

They drove another half hour, out past a small town of wooden store fronts and dilapidated trailers. Eventually the man turned down a dirt road, red dust clouds billowing behind the Taurus' back wheels. Toby could see the remains of a church, the wooden cross at the top the only indication of what it had once been used for. Even from a distance he could see that chunks of the roof had long ago caved in; the whole building looked as if it were ready to fall in on itself, like a compressed lung waiting to breath again. 

***

As Richard left the highway he pulled into the Exxon station and called Sarah. He noted that with the lack of anything else on the road, he wouldn't lose the Taurus, but he was also much more likely to be noticed. Shrugging, he called the cell phone, knowing the chase was nearly over anyway. 

Back on the road, he slowed down to 45 mph, watching the Taurus pull onto the dirt road. The dust clouds from its wake had already settled by the time he reached the road, and the small incline insured that he wouldn't be noticed for a little longer. He hoped it would be long enough. 

***

It didn't take long for Sarah to reach the exit Richard had told her. She had apparently been much closer than she thought. Driving down the deserted highway, she could feel something pulling at her, something stronger than the adrenaline she had grown used to over the last few days. She pulled her hand from Jareth's, placing it back on the steering wheel. He didn't complain, merely reached his hand over to place it above her knee. Chaste and yet, somehow not. Shaking her head to clear the errant thought, she refocused her energies on the road before her. 

When she saw the dirt road she turned onto it without conscious thought. Jareth quirked an eyebrow but said nothing. Her instinct was rewarded when she caught the last trail of Richard's dust clouds. When she saw the church ahead, she knew she was right. It was a short-lived victory, though. The muscles around her heart seemed to contract at once and she knew that her worst fears were about to be realized. 


	20. Ashes, Ashes, We All Fall Down

"Did you ever hear the story of Abraham and Isaac?" he asked the boy as he led him through the ruins of the church. The boy shook his head as his eyes wandered over the dilapidated structure. The building had certainly seen better days, about a century ago. The only thing accounting for its still standing was the rough-hewn stones that formed the body of the church. The wooden roof had suffered the most damage over the passing decades. Large holes had been eaten through the frame, leaving the remnants of the roof like a ribcage. Piles of rubbles littered the floor as they made their way to the back of the church. There was a stone alter in what Toby could only assume had once been a pulpit. The sick feeling in his stomach had grown and he found his entire body now ringing with a nausea that made his knees buckle. 

The slight drag on the arm that was leading the boy caught the man's attention. Noticing the way the boy's eyes never left the alter, he tried to be comforting.

"Don't worry, it's almost over soon. Isaac felt much the way you're feeling now, I imagine. See, his father, Abraham, loved him so much that God became jealous. He told Abraham that as a sign of his devotion he would have to sacrifice Isaac." As he relayed the tale he continued his stately march towards the alter.

"H-how does it end?" Toby asked.

"Well, God felt that Abraham proved himself and so he stopped him at the last minute." The man explained it as if it were the simplest thing in the world. Toby felt the knot of tension loosen slightly.

"Is that how this story will end?" he asked.

The man was briefly startled by the insightfulness of the question. "No, it's not." 

***

Richard slipped to the doorway of the church undetected. Holding the gun he usually kept in the glove compartment, he sent up a small prayer. Whether it was for wisdom or forgiveness he wasn't sure. He saw the man leading Toby to the alter and he knew, instinctively, what would happen if he didn't intervene. Charging through the doorway and down the aisle, he held the gun steady but his voice broke as he screamed, "STOP!"

***

Sarah felt her world fall down.

Finally seeing him, face grubby from too little sleep, his hand clenched by the kidnapper, made something click in her head. She was too far away, running behind Richard towards her little brother. She no longer knew where Jareth was, until she saw him materialize behind Toby and wrench him away. 

"NOOO!!" the man screamed. His attention torn between Richard charging and Jareth taking away his prize, he was momentarily stunned. Reality came crashing back when Richard barreled in to him, sending both men onto the floor. The gun came up firmly into his jaw and he had no choice but to watch the blond headed boy, his last chance at salvation, slip away into his sister's arms. 

***

There was an eerie calm about the place, appropriate for a church but strange given the situation. After Richard subdued the kidnapper, who refused to give his name, they had tied him up with the very rope that had been awaiting Toby. Sarah had placed Toby in her car to wait until they decided what to do with him.

"Sarah, you're his sister, you should decide." Richard said. He offered her the gun.

Feeling mesmerized by the metallic thing in her hand, she simply stared at it. 

"Sarah," Jareth said softly, not wanting to startle her, "think carefully about what you're going to do here."

"Why shouldn't I?" she asked, her eyes pleading. "You know Toby's not the first one, what difference would it make if one more scumbag disappears off the face of the earth?"

"Do you really feel that vigilante justice will make the world a safer place?"

"Yes." she said coldly, cocking the gun and pointing it at the man's head.

"Might I point out that had your vigilante justice been performed on this man," Jareth pointed to Richard, "you never would have found Toby?"

Her eyes drifted over to Richard and she realized the hate was gone. But she couldn't erase the nausea that the man tied to the alter brought her. Richard looked worn, defeated by life, but this man smelled evil. She couldn't let him go. As if reading her thoughts, Jareth lowered the gun, saying, "See that he's punished, but see that he's punished properly." His hand reached up from the gun to wipe at the tears she hadn't realized were quietly streaming down her cheeks. Finally, her eyes met his. "I'll call the police."


	21. The End and the Beginning

The calm from earlier was decimated by sirens. Sarah, Jareth, and Richard each gave the police their story several times. The kidnapper said nothing. He didn't have to. As police stormed through the church, they broke through the heavy wooden door at the back. The smell of rot was overpowering. Within 20 minutes all the bodies of the children the man had taken and slaughtered were wrapped up and sent to the morgue for identification.

"Well, I can't say as I agree with your methods," Officer Kent said, strolling over to the small group, "but in this case they were pretty effective."

"How many…how many bodies?" Sarah asked.

Officer Kent sighed, staring at the ground. "Eight. But," he continued, "that's eight families that will sleep a little easier tonight knowing that justice will finally be served. And it will be served." he added in an undertone. With nothing else to contribute, he told the group to go home. "And get some sleep! You all look like hell."

***

They drove about halfway back home before stopping at a hotel to crash. Toby had slept most of the way in the car and Jareth had to carry him up to bed. They watched him sleeping for awhile before Sarah, with a small shake of her head, walked out to the balcony.

Jareth found her bracing her hands against the railing and looking out at the stars. Knowing she would speak when she was ready, he slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest.

"Eight children, can you believe that? God, eight children went through the terror that Toby must have felt."

"Yes, it is horrible. But remember Sarah, you can't save everyone."

"I know," she sighed. "That's what I'm learning. It all seemed so simple in the Labyrinth." she knew without looking that he was quirking his eyebrow at her. Laughing a little, she said, "Wait, let me finish. I mean, I had the quest, I knew what to do: get through the Labyrinth, say the words, go home. And I did it. And I don't know, maybe I thought I could fix everything after that. Any challenge I faced I thought, 'Well, it can't be harder than the Labyrinth' and off I'd go."

She sighed again, "But the world is so much bigger than me, and there's so much wrong with it that I can't fix, I'll drive myself crazy trying." At last she turned around and looked him in the eye. "And I also realized today that it'll kill me if I keep blaming myself for all the things I can't fix."

He smiled at her, cocking his head to one side. "How did you get to be so wise?" he asked, running his forefinger down her cheek. 

"Well, I had a little help, believe it or not." she grinned back, her arms encircling his neck.

"Hmm, you'll have to tell me about him sometime, he sounds like a remarkable fellow. But before we get into that, I must ask, is this the 'after' you mentioned the other day?"

Sarah bit her lip, knowing exactly which 'after' he was referring to. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Good." He swooped down and kissed her, grabbing her waist and perching her on the balcony edge. She shrieked slightly and wrapped her legs around his middle, partly to keep herself from falling and partly to pull him against her. She felt him smile against her mouth and, laughing, kissed him in return.

Breathless, she pulled back for a moment, "I thought we said we'd discuss this?"

"No, you said we'd discuss it, I didn't say any such nonsense." 

Biting her chin to distract her, Jareth quickly covered her mouth with his to stop any more discussion. And for once, Sarah didn't argue.


End file.
